With another Game Seven victory at stake, LeBron James would not miss. He would not sit out. And he would not be denied an eighth straight trip to the NBA Finals.

The four-time league MVP scored 35 points with 15 rebounds and nine assists on Sunday night, leading the Cleveland Cavaliers to an 87-79 win over the Celtics and eliminating Boston from the Eastern Conference finals in the decisive seventh game.

In the first close game of the series - and the lowest-scoring - James played all 48 minutes and had 12 of his points in the fourth quarter for his sixth straight Game Seven win.

LeBron James was dominant yet again as he finished one assist shy of a triple-double in the win

Contrasting emotions in Game Seven as the Celtics' Jayson Tatum cuts a dejected figure and LeBron James watches on

James one again produced a performance for the ages as the Cavs reached the NBA finals

James and Horford embraced after the buzzer, then the Cavaliers donned NBA Finals hats and Eastern conference championship shirts before shuffling off the court to receive their trophy.

It's not the one they want.

James has been in the finals every year since 2011 - four with Miami, and now four straight with Cleveland.

This might be his weakest supporting cast.

Boston Celtics rookie Jayson Tatum scored 24 points but couldn't lead his team to victory

James' team-mates applaud him after his brilliant performance took Cleveland to the finals

Tristan Thompson drives through a congested Celtics defence to score during the first-half

Marcus Smart goes for the basket during the decisive Game Seven of the Eastern Conference

He had to do it without Kevin Love - Cleveland's only other all-star - who sustained a concussion in Game Six and was replaced in the lineup by Jeff Green.

Making his first start since the first-round opener against Indiana, Green scored 19 points and added eight rebounds - the star of James' starless supporting cast.

The Celtics have had more time to get used to their injuries: Gordon Hayward has been out since the first game of the season, and Kyrie Irving has been sidelined since March. With the rookie Tatum and second-year Jaylen Brown, Boston established itself as the team of the future in the East.

But the present still belongs to James. And, for now, that means Cleveland, too.